Listening Assignment

Mindfulness is paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and is non-judgmentally (Lucas, 2012). According to Marsha Lucas, Ph. D Psychologist and author of Rewire Your Brain for Love, if you practice being mindful it will help to set the tone of the nervous system for the rest of the day, and increase the likelihood of other mindfulness moments. For example, prior to beginning my shifts I will often find myself daydreaming while having a cup of tea, waiting in line or stuck in traffic. This in turn, helps to initiate my desire to work the shifts and listen actively to the people I may encounter during these shifts. Lucas mentioned also that your mind and brain are natural wanderers and this is a good thing. These beneficial brain changes as seen in the neuroscience research on mindfulness are thought to be promoted in large part by the act of noticing that your mind has wandered and to bring it back. According to Ed Halliwell, a teacher and co-author of the book, “The Mindful Manifesto”, the best way to cultivate mindfulness in everyday life is to formally train in meditation. Meditation helps us to tap into mindfulness with little effort. Mindfulness is not a luxury, Lucas states, “it’s a practice that trains your brain to be more efficient and better integrated with less distractibility and improved focus. It minimizes stress and helps you become your best self. Richard Davidson’s Research as cited by Lucas shows that we all have an emotional “set Point”. Some of us may have more of a tendency toward the withdrawal, avoidance, negative thinking, and other depressive symptoms whereas; others will have a greater tendency toward the positive moods, with a tendency to approach new things and positive thinking.